A Children’s Community Nurse has been nationally recognised

A Children’s Community Nurse from Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) has been nationally recognised after being shortlisted for the national Guardian Public Service Awards.

Andrew Kelly, was shortlisted to the last five of 400 nominations in the ‘Transformation’ category for his contribution to training staff to use a new electronic patient records system.

All of the Trust’s children and families services in the Trust now use the new system called RiO and Andrew’s skills in training the staff to use it was a big part of the success of the roll out. The programme has led to savings totalling £356,143 and efficiencies have created 33,232 more hours which means staff have more time to work with children.

Andrew said: “As a clinician, I believe I may have had a unique perspective on what the care group may have required from an electronic patient record; however I was only one small part of a fantastic, dedicated and hardworking team. It was an absolute pleasure to work with everyone and also to be able to work with clinicians in all the teams, I could not have achieved anything without all of them.

Andrew added: “ I have been very humbled by the nomination that I have received for my work as a change manager whilst helping to introduce RiO to the Children and Families care group, it was an amazing opportunity to be able to work in the project management office during the preparation and go live period for RiO.”

Andrew said: “The unique opportunity that I was given to work as a clinical change manager has made me want to pursue this role further and as such plan to undertake further study to understand the role in more depth.”

Angela Glencross, Project Manager, CPFT said: “For me, Andrew more than deserved the nomination, his dynamic personality, sense of humour, tenacity and calm approach created a productive and engaging environment and inspired team working. His attitude to his work is faultless and his ability to inspire, lead and motivate the team through a difficult and challenging period was enviable.

“He is a true credit to the Trust embodying the Trust values of spirit, kindness, fairness and ambition in everything he is asked to do and volunteers himself for. Andrew has a remarkable ability to work in what were sometimes difficult situations this is due to his positive attitude and talent for always focusing on the best possible outcome instead of the easiest possible outcome.”

The electronic patient record for the Children and Families care group is now live and fully functioning. Although Andrew did not progress further through the shortlisting rounds he was highly commended by the Guardian Public Service Awards.

A further roll out of the electronic patient record system is underway for other care groups in the Trust.